Work carrier for electroplating



April 20, 1948. N W I TAL 9 2,440,019

WORK CARRL TER FOR ELEG'I'ROPLATING Filed April 4, 1947' Patented Apr.20, 1948 UNITED s'rA rr-:s PATENT OFFICE TO Rx cliltmn rgz l lincrnomnxoQ Leon .1. Pianowski and 8am F. Sgriccia. Detroit.

Mlola, aasignora to The Udylitc Corporation, Detrolt,l\flch.,aoorporatlon of Delaware Application A ril 4, 1947, Serial No. 139,426 112 Claims. (01.105-150) The present invention pertains to a novel workuse of like characters which are employed to carrier for electroplatingof the type that is designate corresponding parts throughout.

moved along a cathode rail.

Such a carrier ordinarily has an arcuate surface in engagement with therail for electrical contact. The quantity of current that can bedelivered from the rail to the work is limited by the permissiblecurrent density at the area of contact, and this in turn is limited bythe area of the arcuate or cylindrical surface. If the surface wereelongated, the carrier would bind on the gill while moving over a bendor turn in the The object of this invention is to provide a carrier thatfurnishes a greater area of contact with the rail and at the same timedoes not bind on a curved portion of the rail. This object isaccomplished by forming the carrier in two similar members suspendedfrom the rail in substantially the conventional manner and having theusual cylindrical contact surface. These mem-' bers are in juxtapositionto each other and make contact with one another on protuberances orconvex surfaces to permit a rocking action between them while rounding aturn. The cylindrical contacting surfaces are thus shifted out ofalinement with each other,'and each surface rides on the rail in theusual manner without binding.

The lower ends of the members are formed respectively with hooksoverlapping each other in a plane parallel to the axis of thecylindrical contacting surface. The hooks. where contacting each other,are also formed with protuberances or convex surfaces'to permit relativerocking in this area. Further, the hooks are joined to-- sether byresilient means that maintains the meeting surfaces in contact with eachother and yet permit play during the rocking movement;

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a number of work supports suspended from arail;

Figure 2 is an elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an elevationon the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-501 Figure 4, and 1 Figure 6 is asection on the line 6-8 of Figure Reference to these views will now bemade by In Figure 1 is shown a rail A, such as a cathode rail, fromwhich work supports are to be suspended and along which the supports areto be moved by suitable means such as pushers B.

Each support comprises a pair of hook members ,I and 2 placed one besidethe other and substantially identical in formation. Each such member isformed at its end with an extended head 3) having a lower surface 4formed concavely on the cross sectional radius of the rail A and restingupon the rail, as shown in Figure 5. The

cylindrical surface 4 is intended to make electrical contacts with therail, carrying current from the rail through the hook to work suspendedtherefrom as will be presently shown.

7 The shank of each member I 2 is offset or bent at 5 in the directiontoward the free end of the corresponding head. The lower ends of the members I. 2 are formed respectively with hooks 6, l lying in planes axialof the cylindrical surfaces 4 and overlapping each other as shown inFigures 2 to 6. A

The width of each head 3, lengthwise of the cylindrical surface 4. issuch that the head will slide freely along a bend A in the rail A andyet make good electrical contact with the rail. Such an arrangement isalready known in the art. The quantity of current available to the workis limited by the current density permissible at the surface 4, and thisin turn is determined by the area of the surface 4. If the width of thehead 3 were enlarged to increase the area of the surface 4, the latterwould bind while rounding the bend A. If two supports were placed sideby side, with flat engaging surfaces, the effect would be the same. Inthe invention, the contacting faces of the mutually adjacent heads aresomewhat convex as indicated by the numeral 8 in Figure 1. When on astraight length of rail, these faces engage each other 'at their outwardends at Q and recede from each other in the direction inwardly fromtheir point of contact. Thus, when the members I, 2 are on the bend A arelative rocking movement thereof on the surfaces 8 takes place,breaking the alinement of the adjacent cylindrical surfaces 4 andpermitting the turn to be made without binding on the rail. Preferablythe surfaces 8 are in the nature ofarcs on a radius smaller than that ofthe turn A.

The work or the hanger for the work is represented by the member I0suspended from the overrelatively to each other, and this motion isfacilitated by forming the contacting surfaces of the hooks as convexcylindrical surfaces 15 on a radius equal to that of the cylindricalsurfaces 8.

' The relative position of the hooks when the support is on the bent Ais shown in Figure 6. The

two members I, 2 are maintained in contact with each other at thesurfaces 8 by means. of the pusher and at the surfaces i by the springl4. Also, both hooks are in contact with the suspended member it.Although these contact points may be momentarily broken, each member isnormally in contact with the rail at its cylindrical surface. 4.Nevertheless, complete current interruption at the surface or elsewheredoes occur occasionally, and the probability is here reduced 50% by theprovision of two members I, 2. An excessively high current density at asurface 4 tends to destroy the oil film on the rail and to causewelding, scoring and rapid wear of the parts. Further, the heatgenerated in such an effect is a loss of electrical energy. It isevident that these difllculties are overcome or at least reduced in thepresent invention by increasing the total area through which current mayflow, at the surfaces 4, from the'rail to the work.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various alterations in the detailsof construction may be made without departing from the'scope of theinvention as indicated by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the-contacting surfaces of said members at said end'having aprotuberance toward the other member, the ,two protuberances engagingeach other to permit a rocking movement of said members, the lower endsof said members being shaped for the suspension of work therefrom.

2. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for' engagement with the railto an appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the contacting surfaces of said members at said end having aprotuberance toward the other member, the two protuberances engagingeach other to permit a rocking movement of said members, the lower endsof said members being formed with hooks overlapping each other in aplane transverse to the general plane of said surfaces.

3. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguousto each other and adapted for each other to permit arocking movement of said members. the lower ends of'said members beingformed with hooks overlapping each other in a plane transverse to thegeneral plane of said surfaces, the contacting surfaces of'said hooksbeing also formed respectively with mutually contacting protuberances.4. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the contacting surfaces of said members at said end having aprotuberance toward the other member, the two protuberances engagingeach other to permit a rocking movement of said members, the lower endsof said members being formed with hooks overlapping each other in aplane transverse to the general plane of said surfaces, andresilientmeans joining said hooks.

5. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted atone end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the contacting surfaces of said members at said end having aprotuberance toward the other member, the two protuberances engagingeach other to permit a rocking movement of said members. the lower endsof said members being formed with hooks overlappin each other in a planetransverse to the general plane of said surfaces, the contactingsurfaces of said hooks being also formed respectively with mutuallycontacting protuberances, and resilient means joining said hooks.

engagement with the rail to an appreciable ex-,

tent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail, each of thecontacting surfaces of said members at said end having a protuberancetoward the 6. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair ofsimilar members adapted at one end for suspension from a rail injuxtaposition and contiguous to each other md adapted for engagementwith the rail to an appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinallyof the rail, each of the contacting surfaces of said members'at said endbeing convex to permit a rocking movement of said members, the lowerends of said members being shaped for the suspension of work therefrom.

' '7. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of'the contacting surfaces of said members at said end being convexto permit a rocking movement-- of said members,'the lower ends of saidmembers being formed with books overlapping each other in a planetransverse to the general plane of said surfaces.

8. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail injuxtapositionand contiguous to each other andadapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the contacting surfaces of said members at said end being convexto permit a rocking movement of said. members, the lower ends of saidmembers being formed with hooks voverlapping each other in a planetransverse to the general plane of said surfaces, the contactingsurfaces of said hooks being also convex.

other member, thetwo protuberances engaging 7 9. .A workcarrier forelectroplating comprising a pair of similar members adapted at one endfor suspension from a rail in juxtaposition and contiguous to each otherand adapted for engagement with the rail to an appreciable extent bothlaterally and longitudinally of the rail, each of the contactingsurfaces of said members at said end being convex to permit a rockingmovement of said members, the lower ends of said members being formedwith hooks overlapping each other in a plane transverse to the generalplane of said surfaces, the contacting surfaces of said hooks being alsoconvex (in a radius equal to that of the first named convex surfaces.

10. A work carrier for electroplating comprising a pair of similarmembers adapted at one end for suspension from a rail in juxtapositionand contiguous to each other and adapted for engagement with the rail toan appreciable extent both laterally and longitudinally of the rail,each of the contacting surfaces of said members at said end being convexto permit a rocking movement of said members, the lower ends of saidmembers being formed with hooks overlapping each other in a planetransverse to the general plane of said surfaces, the contactingsurfaces of said hooks being also convex on a radius equal to that ofthe first named convex surfaces, and resilient means joining said hooks.

11. In combination, a curved rail, a work carrier for electroplatingcomprising a pair of similar members adapted at one end for suspensionfrom a rail in juxtaposition and contiguous to each other and adaptedfor engagement with the rail to an appreciable extent both laterally andlongitudinally of the rail, each of the contact- 6 ing surfaces oi saidmembers at said end bein convex on a radius less than the radius ofcurvature of said rail to permit a rocking movement of said members, thelower ends of said members being shaped for the suspension of Worktherefrom.

12. In combination, a curved rail, a work carrier for electroplatingcomprising a pair of similar members adapted at one end for suspensionfrom a rail in juxtaposition and contiguous to each other and adaptedfor engagement with the rail to an appreciable extent both laterally andlongitudinally of the rail, each of the contacting surfaces of saidmembers at said end being convex on a radius less than the radius ofcurvature of said rail to permit a rocking movement of said members, thelower ends of said members being formed with hooks overlapping eachother in a plane transverse to the general plane of said surfaces, thecontacting surfaces of said hooks being also convex on a radius equal tothat of the first named convex surfaces.

LEQN J. PIANOWSKI. SAM F. SGRICCIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

